Caro Emerald Exclusively Chats To VIVA Ahead Of Her European Tour!

Caro Emerald is the Dutch songstress your ears probably encounter 20 times a day without even realising it. With notable advertisement features and regular airplay on BBC radio 2’s A playlist, Emerald’s music has demanded our attention ever since she swung onto the scene way back in 2009 with her chart topping debut album. The continued success has made her one of Holland’s hottest exports, and “The Shocking Miss Emerald” shows no signs of slowing down. Her most recent single “Quicksand” is a step towards a more electronically influenced sound and with another European tour looming we thought it proper to catch up with Caro and discuss all her forthcoming plans, the tour, the new album and how she keeps it all together!

 VIVA: Hey Caro, thanks for taking the time out of your day to talk to us here at VIVA.

Caro: No Problem.

 VIVA: I’m just going to dive straight in, as we don’t have very long. What have you been up to this morning?

Caro: I’ve just been at home this morning. I have a show tonight for a company party so I’m just laying low throughout the day. I’m just hanging around the house doing some emails and stuff like that.

 VIVA: So is this the calm before the storm? As I know you have a very busy few months ahead.

Caro: Well I try, but that doesn’t always work, because I have a kid and I also do a lot of working out. So its always different, but today I have the luxury of being able to lay low.

VIVA: Lifestyles very important to us here at VIVA, you mentioned you like to work out, but is there anything else that helps you relax and unwind?

Caro: There’s nothing in particular, although I do listen to a lot of music depending on my mood, just like everyone else. So you know, sometimes I’m just researching music. Ill think of one of the old vocalists, and then I just want to know more about their work so I’ll do that. Then There are the times were I’ll put on the radio because I really love to keep up to date with the charts. But If I really need some energy my latest favourite album is actually “1989” by Taylor Swift. I just think it’s a great album! The songs are really good, it’s very uplifting, so if I need some energy I’ll put that on.

VIVA: Talking Of Taylor Swift and the pop sound she’s achieved, your music’s very pop driven also. Your known for your catchy hooks. It’s evident that once you have a Caro Emerald song in your head, its not going to leave.

Caro: (laughs) Well that’s the intention. We try to do that.

 VIVA: And “Quicksand” your latest single is in the same vein as previous music, but there seems to be a heavier electronic sound coming through the production. Was that intentional with this new sound? 

Caro: Yes! That was the intention definitely because you know for each album we try to create a very unique sound. Mainly because as musicians we just like to develop you know. And I do feel that every album should be a unique thing. Id like it to be that if you hear one of the singles or songs you can connect it to that specific album. And you know instantly which album it is.

VIVA: So you want the listener to feel like there are three separate chapters to your music? 

Caro: Yes! Exactly like that. But were still really only in the middle of working on the direction for the third album. Were In the studio a lot and what we are trying to do is experiment with the sound. For now we’ve been inspired a lot with this kind of 90s electronica and a lot by Exotica, which was a music genre in the 50s. It’s where they kind of tried to mimic these Afro beats. There was a lot of music being released back then with people trying to emulate those jungle sounds. In a sense it’s quite funny because you have these animal noises, things like screaming apes and what not but then it creates such an amazing atmosphere. So it’s cool to work with that.

 VIVA: That sounds very exciting! And as an artist with a very strong visual & sonic identity it seems really important for you to have control over all of those things. For the next campaign and with “Quicksand” the imagery and promotion is very vibrant and colourful is that something that’s being brought into the next album, that refreshing atmosphere? 

Caro: Of course! Were definitely looking to bring in a lot more colour and freshen things up, so yeah it should be very fresh and modern as well, but not too far forward where it becomes unrecognisable.

 VIVA: You’ve got so much going on that things must get a little hectic at times.

Caro: (laughs) Yes of course, but I have a very good team behind me, so I get a lot of support there as well.

VIVA: You just played an outstanding set at BBC’s Proms In The Park. How was that?

Caro: Yeah that was amazing! It was really cool. I was in London for a couple of days, and also did a live session with Chris Evans on the radio.

 VIVA: Of course, you covered an Amy Winehouse track right?

Caro: Yes I did (laughs) that was nerve-wracking. But yeah, it was really a lot of fun, I mean being in Hyde Park, to me that is London. And there were so many people around, and that orchestra! Yeah it was really a lot of fun.

VIVA: Lets talk a bit more about your upcoming live shows. You have two coming up in Manchester one on the 26th of November at the Manchester Opera House and the other on the 15th Of December at the Bridgewater Hall. Can we expect that heavy influence from the live band and the immersive atmosphere that your show’s are known for. 

Caro: I mean, the atmosphere and the way the show is with the entertainment value will definitely be just as good as before. We’ve changed the band a little bit. I kind of quit working with a drummer, now I work with, it’s kind of of hard to explain, I call him the decks guy. He does like the loops and the samples, which we always use, and some electronic percussion and electronic beats, then that’s mixed with live drums. So it’s basically more versatile musically. It kind of lifts out that electronic aspect of it more than before but I feel like it also lifts out more of the instrumental parts because you can also see the difference much better and there’s less going on. There’s more transparency in the music. I’m just a really big fan of this new set up, after working with it since May, its just really really kick ass. So I’m expecting it to be an even better show than last year.

 VIVA: It does seem like you’ve constantly been on tour since you started and you haven’t really had a break.

Caro: Like I have toured every year that’s true. But I do feel like I’ve had a break, I was pregnant and I had a couple of months to myself.

VIVA: And with this tour, can the fans expect anything new, any new music at all or anything coming from the new album? 

Caro: (LAUGHS) I’m really trying to get there, but I’m not sure about it. We do have “Quicksand” and “Helicopter Boy” which we played at Hyde Park, and that is a new song! In the meantime were also trying to work on new material but its so hard whilst preparing the tour you know to also finish new songs. But if there’s one ready then we will play it!

VIVA: I suppose that will be a nice surprise for the fans, but if not there are two new songs on there anyway. 

Caro: Yeah sure, but of course were going to look at the arrangements, and were going to take some because we’ve played the same set for quite some time now. So were going to take some songs out and put some others in. Were gonna put some nice covers in. So it will be very different.

VIVA: Will you be throwing in the Amy Winehouse cover?

Caro: I wasn’t planning on it. I did it before; I’d already added it to my tour in 2011/12 just after she passed, so I don’t really want to do that again.

 VIVA: You mentioned Taylor Swift before, are there any other artists in the charts at the moment that you’re drawn to? 

Caro: Hmmm well, I’m always looking for exciting new voices. And I think that there are a lot of them around. You know, especially coming from the UK by the way. There’s a girl called Jess Glynne. I think she has a very exciting voice. And then there are other artists that I really admire, for instance Rihanna. I also really like Lorde she’s only 18 and has a very nice sound. Also I’m always listening to bands like Rudimental who do features.

VIVA: Is that something that you’d maybe like to explore in the future, like collaborating with artists outside of your genre? Your voice is very distinctive and it could really stand out on something like that.

Caro: Definitely I would love that! It would be very exciting to see how we could maybe merge our styles together, I feel like it could be a really exciting mix!

VIVA: Well I feel like we’ve covered almost everything, we’ve mentioned the tour dates and “Quicksand”, is there anything else you’d like to discuss before we finish? 

Caro: I think I’m all right, I just want to say that I am very very excited to go on tour again, and I’m very happy to be doing two dates in Manchester.

 VIVA: I think everyone in the UK is really excited a few of the shows have already sold out and I’m sure the rest aren’t far off. 

Caro: Well I really hope so, I’m very excited!

 VIVA: Good luck with everything and thanks for taking the time to talk to us today! 

Caro: No problem, Have a good day!

Caro plays two dates in Manchester this winter, 26th of November at the Manchester Opera House and the other on the 15th Of December at the Bridgewater Hall. For the rest of the dates check Caro’s official website or on her Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page.